Botanical Medicine
Radiate health from the inside out
Enjoy customized formulas, gentle remedies, action steps for vibrant health, and herbal medicine just for you.
Your Herbal Consultation
Herbal consultations are included in your acupuncture treatment.
Or, book your online consultation for a full health assessment, written list of suggestions, and individualized treatment plan.
Herbs are sold separately, and not included in the consultation fee. Your unique formula may include herbal granules, teas/ infusions, tinctures, and/ or topical applications.
- Book your first appointment here.
- Receive a welcome email. Complete & return new patient paperwork before your consult.
- Assessment: We'll discuss your health history, lifestyle & goals in detail.
- Treatment: Discuss your customized treatment plan, which may include herbs, exercises, and more.
- Purchase, grow, or gather your herbs.
- Take recommended herbs regularly.
- Follow lifestyle & other recommendations.
- Book your next appointment. See you soon!
How to Take Botanical Medicine
Internal Botanical Medicine
Botanical medicines are extracted/ prepared in different ways. Follow your prescribed dosage/ frequency.
Tea/ infusion | Often lighter parts, like leaves/ flowers. Place dried herbs into hot water. Steep 10- 15 min, then strain & sip. Steep nourishing infusions or overnight infusions 1 oz of dried herb per 1 quart jar overnight, then strain & sip. |
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Decoction | Often heavier parts (ie. roots/ stems), or Chinese formulas. Lightly boil dried herbs for 20- 60 min, then strain & sip. |
Tincture | Plants extracted in alcohol. Click the dropper into your mouth. Dosage varies from 1 drop to 2 dropperfuls. |
Pill | Encapsulated botanical powders/ granules. Swallow with water, following prescribed dosage/ frequency. |
Granule | Individual plants or complete Chinese herbal formulas extracted then suspended in a medium. Place 1-3 tsp into a cup, cover with warm/ hot water, then imbibe following prescribed dosage/ frequency. |
Powder | Dried herbs crushed into a powder. Take with food, mix with water, or roll into honey pills. |
Food | Food is medicine. Understand & eat the nutritional/ medicinal benefits of common foods/ spices. |
Topical Botanical Medicine
Apply as needed/ directed onto your skin/ affected areas.
Oil | Plants infused in different oils. Some oil infusions are for both edible & topical use. |
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Balm/ Salve | Oil infusions hardened with a binding agent, often beeswax. |
Wash | Plants extracted in water (tea/ infusion/ decoction). Cover affected area with extraction- soaked cloth, or immerse affected area in extraction. |
Steam | When hot water extraction is complete, remove from heat, then carefully stand with towel over affected area & extraction for 1- 10 min. |
Poultice/ Plaster | Place crushed plants directly/ indirectly onto affected area. Let sit then remove, or cover with cloth bandage for prolonged exposure. |
Liniment | Plants extracted in alcohol, often for topical use only. Alcohol is absorbed quickly, for fast- acting benefits, often for acute care. |
Other Botanical Medicine
Botanical medicine is both ancient & modern, with continual changes/ discoveries. This is not a comprehensive list.
Growing Plants | Growing plants, botanical identification, & lifelong herb- learning increases access to botanical medicines, and joyous interactions. |
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Essential Oils | Highly concentrated extractions. Only for extremely diluted topical use, or diffused for aromatherapy. Do not ingest. |
Flower Essences | Energetic plant preparations with highly diluted plant material. For internal/ topical use. |
Incense | Incense may be in powder, stick, cone, block, or bundle forms. Burn for fragrance, heat, energetic, or other purposes. |
© Jiling Lin, L.Ac. Ventura Acupuncture, Herbs & Lifestyle Medicine. Disclaimer, Terms & Conditions